The "England" debate. A different measurement.

[BlueLlama]

Braziiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiil

 

[Black Belt Jones]

Dunno, I'm generally an optimist but the England team do seem a clear level or two below the serious footballing nations. Pirlo is collecting his bus pass but ran the show with such ease when we last played Italy - it was like the school teacher joining in a year 10 kickabout. This sort of inability to play intelligent football seems to have been a real problem now for years.

It's a headscratcher really - I mean Hodgeson is limited but can you really say Capello didn't know how to manage a serious competitive side? And the players are fine really but that WC performance under Capello was just tragic - Rooney playing like a Sunday leaguer with the beer-sweats.

 

[degsy]

Anyone of my generation have heard the tripe that gets trotted out year after year re the England team. Not enough coaches/player development at age 8-10/power of the clubs/ etc etc etc.

Got me thinking. A fully fit English team with all players "on it", would, despite the naysayers, be a decent side.

But I dont think that side would beat an 11 made up of the best foreign players in the PL. A shirts versus skins if you like.

So that is the measurement. In what countries would the domestic players of a top league beat the foreigners in the same league?

For me, Spain, and all the big SA countries are a cert. Not so sure about the others though.

Yeah, but's what's the ratio of UK - None UK players in the PL and what is the ratio of domestic to none domestic players in the major foreign leagues

I would say much more in the prem

 

[bflefc]

Nigeria.

Police Machine FCC would see off any bunch of Johnny Foreigner mercenaries themselves.

Probably 79-0.